Of the total 27.8 million population of Nepal, the population of children under 18-years stands approximately 11.8 million, representing 44.4 percent of the total population of Nepal.1 Total population of children under 14 years of age is 31.6 percent. The population of Indigenous children stands at 36 percent of the total population of children, or 4.3 million. A large portion of the population of Nepal (37 %) is under age 15, while 11% population are under 5-years. There is a smaller portion of children under 5 years in urban than rural areas. Indigenous peoples consist of 37.2% of the total population of Nepal. The Nepalese government recognizes 59 Indigenous groups.
In a 2011 report, the UN estimated that of the Indigenous Peoples in Nepal, 0.5 million people to are endangered and highly marginalized. During the decade-long conflict between the Maoists and the Government of Nepal, which ended with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2006, over 10,000 children became victims of human trafficking for military purposes and served as child soldiers in the Maoist army. There is a long history of Nepali Indigenous Peoples' struggle against state oppression, exclusion and discrimination. Discrimination and oppression by the state has a direct effect on children.
The New Constitution of Nepal has not recognised the rights of Indigenous Peoples as enshrined in UNDRIP. The constitution declares Khas Nepali language in Devanagari script as the official and medium of instruction language though Nepal is a multilingual country. Indigenous Peoples’ right to education in their mother tongues appeared to be recognised in the constitution but without State's responsibility to implement. It has just mentioned that the indigenous community can run the school on its own. Indigenous children also are deprived of their right to information in their mother tongues and access to media in their mother languages.
Shadow report submitted to UN Child Rights Committee to review Convention on the Rights of the Child implementation in Nepal. The title, ‘Indigenous Children’s Rights Violations in Nepal’ in April 2016, for the 72nd session.
The shadow report available here:
Also find report here: